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I'm having trouble seeing this as a violation of the sit command. I think the dog thinks that I have given her a command to move by starting the cast, and that she does not know (my bad) that she is supposed to wait till I finish the cast.

As I outlined above, she does not move until I have my hands up and start to raise one. I walked around her, jumping around making silly noises, moving my hands in various ways and she did not move a toenail, only her head. She only started to go once I had my hands in position and started to raise one.

But T-Pines you have given me an idea: I will stop her on her way to pile, and I will tell her sit-sit-sit as I do the cast, she will stay sitting since I am telling her sit, but then I hope know to go when I finish the cast. Hmmmm.

You have an anticipation issue. Traffic Cop is an ideal format for working on anticipation problems.

I'm a little concerned about your idea to work on the sit standard during a casting exercise. I think there is the potential to confuse rather than to clarify. I think this approach requires more skill and finesse.

My suggestion is to clarify and teach your casting command (the timing of the relaese from the sit) during a SIT STANDARD exercise. From the standpoint of potential unintended consequences, the difference is significant.

I think the dog thinks that I have given her a command to move by starting the cast, and that she does not know (my bad) that she is supposed to wait till I finish the cast.

You and your dog are having a communications failure. You have been given lots of good advice on how to fix it.

Howard NiemiYou really gotta be careful about how high a pedestal you put your method, your accomplishments, your dog on. There's usually someone who's done more, somewhere. And they may have used a different method than you did! Chris Atkinson 2013

Traffic Cop is fundamentally about a MOTIONLESS standard of SIT ... no matter what else is happening. This sit standard should include the requirement that the dog's attention remain fixated on you. In Traffic Cop, you walk around at various distances from the dog. You are teaching the dog to sit motionless and focused on you from remote postions. You reinforce the SIT while moving and while standing still. You can assume various arm positions and various hand positions, just about any movements or gestures other than movements that are specifically taught to as commands (such as casts). All the while you can hold the dog responsible for the highest level of the sit standard.

When this is going perfectly, add a bumper or bird to the routine, sometimes releasing the dog to pick it up, other times picking it up yourself, and sometimes leaving it on the ground as you heel away to work on some obedience. (I think Blimp's advice was very Hillmann-like).

In the instances where you release the dog to retrieve, mix these up between remote releases and releases from your side. Also mix up the remote releases between verbal (eg., "Fetch") and a cast (both silent and verbal). The benefit of this is that you are able to reinforce your sit standard (the primary purpose of this exercise) while teaching the dog exactly what is expected when he is released for a retrieve -- any type of release that is in your repertoire. You can address anticipation issues, bugging, etc. It is only limited by your creativity in connection with the problem you are trying to solve.

...snip

She does all this. It is when I add the cast that things are going downhill.

Originally Posted by T-Pines

...snip

I'm a little concerned about your idea to work on the sit standard during a casting exercise. I think there is the potential to confuse rather than to clarify. I think this approach requires more skill and finesse.

Thanks, I agree, I'm trying to figure out a plan. I am going to read/reread the RO article Dennis mention.

Make a video and post it up so we can see what is going on with you and the pup.

Good idea. It could be, as Breck alluded, that you are giving the dog a cast before you stick your arm up with other movement that you do not realize. I have the tendency to fall into this myself and it is very hard to know whether you are doing it or not. It could be very subtle, such as cocking your elbow out before giving the back or something that the dog takes as the cast before you get your arm out. A video would help a lot.

Slow down is great advice. Also how much movement you do is another thing to look at. Many new people shift their body in casting. That is telling the dog which way to go. Focus on no movement till u cast